Best starter Cobra

[Smeegle]

Some comments based on my experience:)

When it comes to docile cobras you will have to look for an docile individual, not species.

I have to agree 100%...

Lachesis.. I'm sorry but your friends Naja annulifera are an exeption. Snouties are not by any means a good starter cobra as they get big and can be a handfull.

I have four of them and two are very well mannered. The other two are nasty, fire-breathing demons that just want to kill. The one is 2m long and loves to charge at me with an open mouth. Not for sissies! Shift box required at all times!

Forest cobra...are. you. mad!

I only have one of these, a large male, and I have to say that he is my favourite out of all of my cobra's. Completely calm and predictable, I have never seen him spread a hood. An absolute pleasure to keep.

Stay away from spitters ,they are not fun to keep or clean up after.

I have some adult pallida's and they are puppies, no problems there. I also have three mozams, and two are really tame and take dead rats off the tongs, but the one likes to shower me with love every time.

I also have three nivea's, and again two are a non-event but the third is very jumpy indeed.

Maybe the thing here is to find a long term captive that is known to be calm and easy to keep? Oh yes, I think someone mentioned that small cobra's are very hairy to handle. I cannot agree more, anything under a meter can be a problem because the sharp end is too close to the tail!

What about a Rinkhals? I have a large adult female that I have kept from birth and she is such a honey!

[Lachesis]

Lachesis.. Im sorry but your friends Naja annulifera are an exeption. Snouties are not by any means a good starter cobra as they get big and can be a handfull. If i had the choice of handling a cobra that hoods or a cobra that doesnt hood, I would choose the one that hoods every single time. Easier to predict what they are going to do, also their maneuverability is lower when thay are hooded.

Forest cobra...are. you. mad! Forest cobras are some of the largest cobras in the southern african region, also some of the fastest. Their large size means that they have a long strike range and a high venom yield. The forest cobra that I work with is the only venemous snake that I am properly scared of. I respect our black mabas greatly for their ability to kill but that forest takes the cake. Almost three metres of muscle, aggression and venom.

In my opinion keeping venemous is like starting back at square one. When you get your first snake its usually something non venemous and easy to manage. You dont go out and buy emerald tree boas and retics for your first snakes. Now with the venemous its a similar situation. Start at square one and work your experience up to what you want to get.

You see Rolands Ppic, with his texas rat. That is the ideal situation. Something big, non venemous and aggressive that you can sharpen your skills with.

Just my 2c

Good luck

Are you stating what you know about snouties from experience or just by being a google expert?

I have many friends, that would say snouted are a good option. If you get one from a baby, they calm down easily.

If you read properly, i said don't get a Forest Cobra.

[Bushviper]

Snouted cobras on average are wussies however I have a female here who would kill you with a smile on her face and take out your rescuers too. I have seen Forest cobras that are honeys and others that are satan himself.

Trying to put any lethal snake into a "child friendly" or "user friendly" capacity is a recipe for disaster.

[Darius Basson]

Well thanks everyone.
Im going for a Puff Adder.

Kind regards
Darius Basson

[Jamster]

I been working with the same 8 adult snouties, all over 2m, for the past four years, two of them are relatively docile. Out of the blue if you catch them on a bad day though they will show you whose boss.

Sorry, my bad, misread the post there about the forest